IllinoisTimes - Politicshttp://illinoistimes.com/articles.sec-76-1-politics.html
Tue, 31 Mar 15 00:00:00 -0500enhourly1A way forward for local Democratshttp://illinoistimes.com/article-10719-a-way-forward-for-local-democrats.html
A way forward for local Democrats Election night was a mixed bag for local Democrats as nearly a hundred activists, many who worked on local races, filled Floyd’s Thirst Parlor to await vote returns. The mood was festive and opt...]]>Democrats get their Statehouse chance - A new political map and lots of money give an edge to Scherer and Manarhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-10662-democrats-get-their-statehouse-chance.html
Democrats get their Statehouse chance - A new political map and lots of money give an edge to Scherer and Manar The Republican legislative hegemony in Springfield is in peril. For the first time in almost 20 years, Springfield seems poised to help elect at least one – maybe even two – Democrats to r...]]>Mud and money - A classic liberal and a traditional conservative are in a tight race for the new 13th Congressional Districthttp://illinoistimes.com/article-10560-mud-and-money.html
Mud and money - A classic liberal and a traditional conservative are in a tight race for the new 13th Congressional District David Gill is an unabashed liberal, even in a time when “liberal” is a dirty word.Gill is running for Congress in the 13th Congressional District as a Democrat, hoping to finally secure th...]]>The GOP ambitions behind the Mitt Romney facade - A dispatch from the Republican National Conventionhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-10443-the-gop-ambitions-behind-the-mitt-romney-facade.html
The GOP ambitions behind the Mitt Romney facade - A dispatch from the Republican National Convention I had a decision to make. I’d been in Tampa for all of 15 minutes, and I was already late for something, anything, everything – a white rabbit with OCD, searching for Mad Hatters. Of cours...]]>The new 96th - Five candidates vie for Illinois House seat representing part of Springfieldhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-9775-the-new-96th.html
The new 96th - Five candidates vie for Illinois House seat representing part of Springfield Five candidates are running, but only one will win the race to represent parts of Springfield and Decatur in the new 96th Representative District. The first leg of the race is the March 20 primary ele...]]>Ready, set, GOvern! - Mayor Mike Houston gets high marks for stability. But what about those promises?http://illinoistimes.com/article-9162-ready-set-govern_.html
Ready, set, GOvern! - Mayor Mike Houston gets high marks for stability. But what about those promises? Ward 1 Ald. Frank Edwards, never known for holding his tongue, was just getting warmed up.“We should set the goals,” the alderman declared two weeks ago as the city council pondered Mayor ...]]>Who will bring Springfield together? - Leading a community means more than balancing the budgethttp://illinoistimes.com/article-8486-who-will-bring-springfield-together.html
Who will bring Springfield together? - Leading a community means more than balancing the budget Every day, the rusty steel rails of the 10th Street railroad tracks carry trainload after trainload of coal, manufactured items and raw materials through Springfield. But those tracks carry more than ...]]>Aldermania! - A ward-by-ward look at the candidates and the issues, from potholes to garbage pickup, sidewalks to the city budget. Politics doesn't get any more grass-roots than this. http://illinoistimes.com/article-8472-aldermania_.html
Aldermania! - A ward-by-ward look at the candidates and the issues, from potholes to garbage pickup, sidewalks to the city budget. Politics doesn't get any more grass-roots than this. Ward 1: Young newcomer challenges a familiar faceIn 2008, Ward 1 got a Wal-Mart on South Sixth Street. Meanwhile, Mike Crews and Frank Edwards got an election issue. Both alderman candidates highlight...]]>New kid on the block - Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon arrives in Springfield with a legacy, accessiblility and a banjohttp://illinoistimes.com/article-8262-new-kid-on-the-block.html
New kid on the block - Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon arrives in Springfield with a legacy, accessiblility and a banjo The year was 1969 and Sheila Simon remembers fidgeting in her seat as her father, the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, was sworn in as lieutenant governor of Illinois. Nearly eight years old at the time, Sh...]]>The man who would be senator - Can Alexi make it to Washington, D.C.?http://illinoistimes.com/article-6860-the-man-who-would-be-senator.html
The man who would be senator - Can Alexi make it to Washington, D.C.? We meet at a trendy little café on Main Street in Peoria on a cold, sunny Monday afternoon. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is on the campaign trail, and he has agreed to meet me to talk abou...]]>China%uFFFDs ethos of piracyhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-5611-chinaufffds-ethos-of-piracy.html
China%uFFFDs ethos of piracy The year 2008 went out with a big bang for Microsoft. On Dec. 31, a court in China’s southern city of Shenzhen convicted 11 people of violating national copyright laws for manufactu...]]>Flocking to the faith - Why Obama is wrong to pander to evangelicalshttp://illinoistimes.com/article-5198-flocking-to-the-faith.html
Flocking to the faith - Why Obama is wrong to pander to evangelicals In the old days politicians would slip preachers some hundreds under the table and preachers would deliver the flock on Election Day. It was borderline illegal, but at least it left the Cons...]]>His GOP appeal - Republican crossovers could make Obama the next presidenthttp://illinoistimes.com/article-5064-his-gop-appeal.html
His GOP appeal - Republican crossovers could make Obama the next president Untitled Document Rush Limbaugh and some myopic Democrats would have us believe that most if not all Republicans who have been voting in Democratic primaries are “dittohead...]]>The formula for global despair - Trade agreements, commodity speculators orchestrate food shortageshttp://illinoistimes.com/article-5024-the-formula-for-global-despair.html
The formula for global despair - Trade agreements, commodity speculators orchestrate food shortages Untitled Document The International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization promised that more trade would help eradicate poverty and hunger. Food crops? Self-sufficiency ...]]>Bitter? You should be! - The economic pie is growing, but workers get a smaller slicehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-4965-bitter-you-should-be_.html
Bitter? You should be! - The economic pie is growing, but workers get a smaller slice Untitled Document U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, destiny’s tot, recently suggested that blue-collar Americans are feeling bitter about their financial condition, and critics have ...]]>Rush%uFFFDs chaos - Conservative talker pushes Clinton to damage Democratshttp://illinoistimes.com/article-4953-rushufffds-chaos.html
Rush%uFFFDs chaos - Conservative talker pushes Clinton to damage Democrats Untitled Document “Operation Chaos,” Rush Limbaugh’s campaign urging Republicans to vote for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton in Democratic primaries, has been very ef...]]>Obamanomics - The senator from Illinois is sounding more and more progressive on tradehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-4848-obamanomics.html
Obamanomics - The senator from Illinois is sounding more and more progressive on trade Untitled Document JANESVILLE, Wis. — When I talked with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold about what the Democratic candidates for president needed to do to win the Wisconsin primary...]]>The silver lining of climate change - Irony of ironies %uFFFD it%uFFFDs the nation%uFFFDs conservative regions that will be destroyedhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-4808-the-silver-lining-of-climate-change.html
The silver lining of climate change - Irony of ironies %uFFFD it%uFFFDs the nation%uFFFDs conservative regions that will be destroyed Untitled Document Say what you will about the looming catastrophe facing the world as the pace of global heating and polar melting accelerates. There is a silver lining. L...]]>Dropping out of the Electoral College - Illinois may join states endorsing the National Popular Vote initiativehttp://illinoistimes.com/article-4746-dropping-out-of-the-electoral-college.html
Dropping out of the Electoral College - Illinois may join states endorsing the National Popular Vote initiative Untitled Document A Stanford University computer scientist named John Koza has formulated a compelling and pragmatic alternative to the Electoral College. It’s called the N...]]>A surge of pessimism - In the U.S., the Iraq war was, and still is, largely about America. That%uFFFDs a mistake.http://illinoistimes.com/article-3775-a-surge-of-pessimism.html
A surge of pessimism - In the U.S., the Iraq war was, and still is, largely about America. That%uFFFDs a mistake. Untitled Document Much ink has been spilled and outrage revved up in arguing that the Bush administration has shamefully ignored the Iraq Study Group report released in December....]]>The race to ban what%uFFFDs bad for us - Contemporary politics relies on treating adults like babieshttp://illinoistimes.com/article-3741-the-race-to-ban-whatufffds-bad-for-us.html
The race to ban what%uFFFDs bad for us - Contemporary politics relies on treating adults like babies Untitled Document Is there any doubt that the infantilization of adults is one of the defining characteristics of contemporary politics? New York City just banned the use of tr...]]>Excuses, excuses - Right-wing scribes and pundits scramble to protect Bushhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-3725-excuses-excuses.html
Excuses, excuses - Right-wing scribes and pundits scramble to protect Bush As President George W. Bush’s position on Iraq has become more embattled and folks in the White House have become increasingly isolated, it’s fallen to right-wing scribes and pundits to pr...]]>The jig is up - We'll remember November, when our hopes were dashed - and rekindledhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-3684-the-jig-is-up.html
The jig is up - We'll remember November, when our hopes were dashed - and rekindled November 2006 was a month that historians will study in minute detail, day by day and headline by headline, when they attempt to reconstruct the iron chain of misery the United States has been forging...]]>Bring it on - People are working harder and earning less, and the rich are raking it in. Time to even the score.http://illinoistimes.com/article-3567-bring-it-on.html
Bring it on - People are working harder and earning less, and the rich are raking it in. Time to even the score. The myth of Robin Hood — the outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor (after deducting a modest commission) — is an ancient myth of universal appeal, one that must predate by ...]]>It%uFFFDs bigger than hip-hop - Chicago convention continues effort to give form to a movementhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-3238-itufffds-bigger-than-hip-hop.html
It%uFFFDs bigger than hip-hop - Chicago convention continues effort to give form to a movement When it comes to putting out music that makes a statement, rap has ebbed and flowed. In the late 1980s and early ’90s, hip-hop’s mantra was “black power,” and...]]>Caging the beast - Think the U.S. military is on our side? Think again.http://illinoistimes.com/article-3208-caging-the-beast.html
Caging the beast - Think the U.S. military is on our side? Think again. “Kill every buffalo you can . . . every buffalo dead is an Indian gone.” — Col. R.I. Dodge, Fort McPherson, 1867 “We are going to fight them and impose...]]>Leaving nothing to chance - Illinois may vote on same-sex marriage %uFFFD but why?http://illinoistimes.com/article-3141-leaving-nothing-to-chance.html
Leaving nothing to chance - Illinois may vote on same-sex marriage %uFFFD but why? The last time a statewide referendum went before the Illinois electorate, 1978, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt had just been shot and paralyzed, perennial Hall of Fame reject Pete Rose c...]]>Wooing single women - Unmarried women, analysts say, are tilting left politicallyhttp://illinoistimes.com/article-671-wooing-single-women.html
Wooing single women - Unmarried women, analysts say, are tilting left politically Meet the single woman, breadwinner, cultural icon, and the star of every liberal's dream of regime change. Whether she is a divorced waitress in Harlem, a welfare mom in Iowa, or that 30-something sin...]]>